Dancing In Your Memory
by alexzangel
Summary: Troypay. Once again its time for plays and another Kelsey original directed by the eccentric Mrs. Darbus. Through the play everyone discovers more about themselves, how they want to be, and how their futures intertwine with one another.
1. Get Over It

"When does it end?" Sharpay asked.

"Please tell me it ends now." Ryan agreed with her.

They were sitting there just about to lose their lunch. It wouldn't really make a difference because the lunch at their school was crappy anyway. The cause you ask: Gabriella and Troy. They weren't together or anything but of course Gabriella has been trying since she got through the decathalon or the day of the triple win. Troy was clueless about this though. He thought they were just friends but maybe with some extra potential.

A few weeks later…

"Troy get your head in the game." Coach Bolton said as they were doing drills. He was unusually harde on them today.

"Practice guys. Tomorrow 4:00 P.M. don't be late. If you are extra laps around the court." He blew the whistle.  
"Troy!" Gabriella called.

"Yeah. Gabriella what do you want?" Troy asked trying to catch his breath.

"Do you want to go out or something tonight?"

"No, he can't he has drills to do." His father started.

"I think Troy can speak for himself." Gabriella started.

"Troy do what you want I don't care it's just I expect better from you. The team expects better from you. Well not exactly from relationships but as your father I think you can do better than her. There's a lot of people who would and could be better than her." Troy's father was speaking in a small voice that Troy had never heard his father speak in before. Not unless he was truly investing his thoughts and attentions into it.

"Sure...dad." Troy said as his dad walked off the basketball court. He just stood there thinking. 'What's dad thinking about this?"

"Troy...Troy...would you snap out of it...i'm not here to interrupt your precious daydreams we have a practice to go to."

"I'm speaking for him." Troy's father said.

"Why don't you like me?" Gabriella asked suddenly.

"I don't know…but I have this feeling that Troy could do better!" he said spacely.

Gabriella having enough started to walk away. Troy just stood there with his mouth open trying to think of what his father had just said.

"Troy!" Sharpay said who was now in his face looking over him in concern.

"Huh!"

"Huh! I've been trying to get your attention to ask you if you plan on coming over to drama rehearsal meeting."

"Yeah sure."

They walked to the auditorium in silence it was a long way away from the basketball court.

"There you are." Mrs. Darbus said. "The theather doesn't tolerate tardiness! Sit detention."

"Okay." She said as they found seats next to each other somewhat near Mrs. Darbus.

"So as I was saying before we were rudely interrupted…Kelsey what was I saying."

"Oh the new assignment of roles." Kelsey said from the piano.

"Yes, well we are having a drama club presentation. Apparently mandatory by the principal now. Each team or school group will present. We will present an original play written by one of our very own. Like the winter musicale Kelsey James. Everyone stood and clapped because that was the success that had put them on the map as the drama club.

"Now I have already cast the roles so no auditions since we have very little time left anyway." She continued.

"Leads Sophie-Sharpay Evans

Matt-Troy Bolton

Jessica-Gabriella Montez

Taylor-Ryan Evans

"Any arguments-good." Mrs.Darbus said.

"Scripts, songs to go over with Kelsey later." Darbus ordered. "Everyone else without a role or major role as those will be decided last minute will get a set building schedule. Meet tomorrow after school 3:00 people."

They were all dismissed and Sharpay was still talking to Troy.

"I can't believe I got the lead. I can't believe WE got the leads."

"I know it's amazing."

"I feel sad for Ryan though."

"Why?"

"He has to work with Gabriella."

"That's not very nice."

"I may be your friend now but just because I told her good luck for the winter musical doesn't mean I like her."

"Yeah, I guess you don't have to...but it would be nice if you did."

"Nice try...You want me to come over to your house to practice the play now that we have our scripts?"

"Yeah you can come by at about 5. I should be done with the drills by then."

Troy said as he walked of campus to catch the bus home.

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Sharpay was driving down the block looking for the Bolton's house. She realized that she had made a wrong turn and decided to turn around and went down the street. She quickly found the two-story house and parked her car and got out. Troy had told her earlier that he had drills so she asumed that he was in the backyard with his dad. Sure enough there he was dribbling the ball down the court that they had. He was too caught up in the game. That was a good thing for him but Sharpay's patience was wearing thin. She had stood there for 15 minutes. She had enough and put her fingers close to her lips and blew out in a sharp whistle.

"Impressive Ms. Evans."

"Thank you Mr. Bolton."

"So what brings you here young lady."

"Oh...Troy and I have to practice for the musical."

"Well have a good practice and good luck with your play."

Sharpay's jaw dropped something was definetly strange with Mr.Bolton.

"Thanks..."

"So let's get started." Troy said avoiding her stare.


	2. Not Always As It Seems

A/N: Well guys here is the next chapter. I know that this is extremely late but I finished up my other fanfictions and I stopped writing out of doubts. So I haven't written in anything in about three months and am just coming back.

"It seems that this play is about this girl and guy who both attend a dance academy and after some events they are forced to work together despite their differences. It seems like a very good play, emotional, heart felt, it could really be good. Only if we work at it though

"I guess we have to meet up with Kelsey to learn...well everything." Sharpay said quietly.

"Are you okay?" Troy asked noticing how silent she was being.

"I'm fine. You never answered my question. Why was your dad acting so strange? He actually complimented me."

"I honestly have no idea why he was acting that way. I mean he goes straight from yelling at Gabriella, to dismissing a practice, to actually complimenting you. I don't know why he would like you over Gabriella."

He mentally smacked himself upside the head.

"I didn't..."

"Yes, you did Troy. You knew exactly what you were staying and all I have to say is that I thought our friendship meant more to you. Honestly friends don't do this to one another."

Sharpay walked off with her feelings hurt. Troy himself was distraught he never meant to say that to her. He honestly felt that she was a very nice person. He just honestly didn't understand why his father wasn't exactly the nicest to Gabriella sure he was nice to her after the play but since then he had no problem showing his dislike of her.

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"Mrs. Darbus do I really have to do this play?" Sharpay asked the next day after school. "I mean first of all I don't dance like the way the play is asking me to dance. I know how to coordinate moves but I'm no expert in ballet and on top of that I have to work with this...this..."

"I don't want to hear it. I picked the roles out because I honestly believed that this could be our greatest work. This showcase can be the one to show them that yes, the drama club is actually something more than a joke as everyone seems to think. This could be good for you to work on this, you have the drive to work on it and your acting skills are impeccable. I also mention that this is the longest script that we have ever worked with and everyone is working as hard as can be already two days into production."

Sharpay found it pointless to say that there was nothing visible of this supposed hard work.

"Mrs. Darbus since you put it that way I'll stay on the play. Even if that does mean I have to work with Troy. I'll at least try to work out my problems with him."

"Thank you. That's all that I ask of you. Now sit down let's begin practice. As you know I have already worked with Kelsey your schedule. During every free period you work with her on your ballet. As hard as it is to believe you also have to learn how to integrate your ballet with hip hop which Mr.Bolton is doing. Heavens knows how that will work out but I won't interfere with creative genious."

**At Practice With Kelsey(Sharpay):**

"Kelsey, I understand that your some kind of literary student genious at this school."

"Not really."

"But, why do I have to learn ballet. I actually have to dance ballet."

"Actually no, I told Mrs. Darbus ballet but in reality ballet is your training. You also have to learn how to do hip-hop with Troy."

"Is that all." Sharpay said letting out a breath.

"No, of course not, this is your schedule."

"This is all my weekends and afterschool until seven until..."

"Whenever the performance is which is in a month and a half. Some people have years to learn this and you have to pick it up in a few weeks and then I have to teach you the dances. Like I said earlier you will be doing ballet but only as an exercise, the real role of the girl your playing Sophie is a contemporary dancer. Let's get started with some stretches."

So they laid down on the mats in the center of what was the stage in the auditorium and started stretching.

**The next day...**

Troy caught Sharpay just as she was coming out of the girl's bathroom**  
**

Look Sharpay I don't want it to be like this. I didn't mean it like that I mean you are a great girl and any guy would be happy to have you. I just wonder why my dad is acting so strange he usually doesn't like any girls around me."

"It's probably since I've known you for so long that he's not afraid that you'll try something on me."

"So you ready to go I see your not really moving you've got to start your classes."

"Sure."

She went to the corner of the hidden wall and grabbed the crutch.

"What! Why are you on a crutch? I saw you just yesterday and you were fine!"

"Troy, stop worrying I had an accident at practice!"

"What kind of accident?"

_She was practicing the jumps, turns, and footwork that Kelsey had taught her in the meantime. She had to learn a split also she was counting trying to get the timing right. Practicing one of the turns and adding a jump, which she accomplished but then at the same time didn't notice where she was landing her food buckling under the pressure falling. She hit a bar that was there during construction and fell on the wood floor her foot throbbing. _

_"Oh my gosh, Sharpay are you okay?" Kelsey rushed to her aid  
_

"And that's how I ended up at the hospital where the doctor examined it."

"What did he say?"

"He said that I shouldn't have looked where I was going into the twist but besides that he says its some serious bruising. I knew that already since it hurt like hell and a heavy sprain. He bandaged it and gave me the crutches. He said it so simply like it was nothing but I can barely walk."

"You need any help?" Troy asked. "You know we have the same schedule so I can help you with whatever you need."

"Sure that would be a lot of help." Sharpay said relieved positioning the crutches trying to walk with them.

"I wouldn't bother with those things."

"Why not this is the only thing keeping me up besides hopping like a bunny!"

"You want me to carry you?"

"Do I want you to carry me?" Sharpay repeated shocked. "Why would you ask that? Wouldn't that be a bit strange?"

"What's strange about it? We need to be across the school and to our class in the next three minutes."

"Basketball really is good for something isn't it."

"I guess so. We don't want to make Ms. Davis upset."

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"How is work with the sets coming?" Mrs. Darbus asked.

"It's going fine we're having a little trouble with the hallway scenes but the offices and rehearsal studios are nearly there. They're all ready for rehearsals."

"Good. Troy, Sharpay how is your training with Kelsey going?"

"I've learned my hip hop and a little bit of the dances that I have to do with Sharpay."

"What about you Sharpay?"

"Mine have been halted due to my foot injury but I'm still watching Kelsey and memorizing the work that I have to do. It's slowly coming together though."

"You're acting out a dancer. Some dancers even though they have an injury they will work their feet even through the pain to gain agility and not to let the muscles stiffen over time. You should try it."

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"Is that her way of telling me to toughen up and practice through the pain because she says so."

"I think so." Troy said stretching also. "Where is Kelsey anyway?"

"Oh she wants us to start getting comfortable with one another."

"We play love interests in the play what do you think!"

"Oh, that close."

"Are you done yet?" Kelsey said, " I would like to get my practice started and get the dance down by today and practice it for the remainder."

"Sure."

"Kelsey, I have a question!"

"Sure Troy go ahead."

"I mean how close are we talking about us getting?"

"Your dancing together."

"I know that but is this one of those inspired by the emotions of the actors. So if you know who your character is then you will know how you have to feel"

"Well neither of them is slow but they do have to have feeling to them."

"And what exactly enabled you to create a dance like this?" Sharpay asked.

"I got very inspired!" Kelsey said. "Anyway I advise that you act like an actual boyfriend/girlfriend to get into it."

Troy and Sharpay looked each other up and down and then laughed.

"That's not happening."

"Okay then let's to practice one is to "Collide" the other is to um I don't know yet."

"How are we supposed to act like that though."

"You pretend that its Gabriella or whoever you like for Sharpay."

Little did she know that's exactly who she liked.

"Um sure."

"So you ready?" Troy said holding out his hand.

"Yes." Sharpay said taking it as she was pulled closer to him.

"Okay now the beginning is like your dancing at a ball. Troy your left hand goes on her waist, your right on her shoulder, the same for you Sharpay. Okay when the music starts bring your right hand out in a circle Sharpay and grab it and spin around to meet him sway with it until the chorus you get it?"

"Kind of I think!" Sharpay unsure even about her own unsure words.

"I'll be honest and say I got none of that." Troy said.

"Don't worry it'll make more sense when I go over it with you on the movements."

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"Tell me if you need anything?" Troy said dropping her off on the couch of her room. At first he was skeptical about letting her drive her own car but at the same time she insisted because then her car would still be at the school. All through the practice Sharpay had struggled to make it through and int he process she had somehow managed to make it swell again and was in extreme pain. He convinced her to let him take her home and even though he felt uncomfortable searching through her bag to find her key but it had to be done.

"Troy I promise I will be alright."

"If you say so. Call me if you want anything!"

"Okay but one thing that I wanted to ask."

'What is it?"

"Why is your dad acting so strangely?"

"I don't know but I will be sure to figure that one out." It was already at the top of his imaginary to do list.

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"What are you still doing here?" Troy asked Gabriella seeing her pace the hallway.

"I was waiting for you."

"Umm."

"I figured that we could go to the movies or something."

"I can't."

"What happened?"

"It's seven o'clock now and I need to finish up my homework and then practice with my dad."

"Oh, alright then." she said dissappointed.

"Okay." Troy said walking off.

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"Mom can you pass the potatoes?" Troy said looking down at his plate.

"Sure."

"What's got you so down son. I noticed you struggling with your homework."

"Oh no." Troy said debating with himself for a minute on whether or no he should ask. " Dad could I ask you something?"

"Why not?"

"Why don't you like Gabriella?"

"I have my reasons." he said evasively heading back to his meal of chicken, peas, and potatoes.

"Dad please."

He dropped his fork down on the wooden table making everyone present jump a bit.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes."

"Okay I understand that you want her to be your friend or your girlfriend or whatever. I have no trouble with her being your friend but even as that she distracted you from what was important."

"If this is about basketball and the play."

"It's not about basketball and its not about the play. Your mother and I used to go every year before you were born. It's about you being yourself. Forget basketball for a second."

Troy gasped. His father had just said the words forget basketball. He knew he was being serious and had apparently put a lot of thought into this. How much he didn't know but he knew that this was an important conversation that he needed to hear out.

"...mind you singing for whatever but explore all your options. I have a feeling that she could affect more than your basketball if she was your girlfriend as you so put it."

"But dad she has only tried to be my friend and..."

"..AND what has she gotten you. Detention on your first day back from winter break."

"So why isn't Sharpay on this list. Why aren't you defending me against her 'evil ways'." Troy said rolling his eyes.

"I should be punishing you right now for that but I will explain it to you plain and clear. Sharpay's family and ours have been close friends for years and when her mother died she got a little lost. You and I both know that she is a sweet person underneath the person that would always come over from her house with those 'sunshine' oatmeal cookies that her mother used to bake before she died. And we both also know that she can be a bit snippy when she wants to be. The point is that we know here and your mother and I know her."

"I get it a little bit better."

Troy was up in his room thinking about everything that his father had told him. He sometimes wondered if his father was right about Gabriella and he was taking a chance when he thought about getting together with her. Maybe he should be giving her the benefit of the doubt and try to figure things out on his own despite what his own father had said about her. And then the other part of him asked if he would ever feel the same way about her. The things that his father said ingrained in his brain possibly forever and left him feeling like a hypocrite. The one thing that he did know for sure was that there was a ring of truth to one thing that he said. He didn't know Gabriella at least not as well as he knew Sharpay.

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"Ryan get over here." Sharpay said from the couch flipping channels. She was trying to find something good to watch on television.

"Sharpay just because you hurt yourself at practice does not give you an excuse to boss me around anymore than you usually do. Gosh that looks bad. " Ryan said kneeling down to look at her still black and purple foot." I thought that the doctor said it would have gotten better by now."

"I know but I was practicing while it was still bruised."

"And I thought she also told you not to use that foot."

"I had to the play was at stake."

"I know it hurts to say but there are more things important than plays. For example your health."

"You know that the theater and the auditorium at school is the only thing that's good in our lives right now. The pain is worth not coming back here for as long as possible. If it wasn't for Aunt Julie I don't know where we'd be right now." Sharpay said not paying any more attention to the television about to cut it off. There was a crashing sound and then the breaking of glass.

"What the hell?" Sharpay said moving to get up and check on what was going on upstairs but the pain shot through her leg as she hissed in pain.

"No Sharpay I'll check on him you stay tight and I'll get you some ice."

"Thank you."

Review and tell me what you think.


	3. Our Father

Ryan walked up to see his dad in the room passed out. He walked closer to him and smelt the alcohol on him and the little pieces that covered him some had cut into his skin and small cuts over parts of exposed skin. Ryan shook his head and remembered the reason he had come in here. This was the source of the noise and he noticed the small hole in the glass. Looking out of the window he saw an empty bottle out on the driveway and it hit the old sedan parked under the window sill. Finding what he needed to know Ryan set his father back onto the bed cleaning him up a bit and left the room.

"What happened?" Sharpay asked him from the couch.

"The usual." Ryan answered.

"Oh."

Ryan he was secretly happy that that was all that happened to his father. He knew it could be worse. Their father could be an abusive drunk and could have harmed them in some way. He remembered all the times that something had happened to their father. He also knew that it grew steadily worse as the years after theirs mother's death grew longer. Everytime though Ryan felt like going to someone and saying something, anything just to get help for themselves and for their father but Sharpay declined saying that they could handle their own problems. The only person that knew was their Aunt Julie and even she was worried and called them every two days to check up on them. She was a big contribution to their lives and helped them stay afloat buy sending them bi-weekly checks of about $200.00. She worked for a major company and she said it was only right to send them the money considering that she had nothing else to spend it on and it was burning a hole in her pocket. Despite all of this they had odd jobs that they did for their neighbors to get some extra money.

Maneuvering through the icebox in the refrigerator he put together a sack filled with pieces of ice. He put it on her foot.

"If it was this bad why didn't the doctor put your foot in a cast."

"She said my foot was just about at that point when I did whatever it is that I did. She said it wasn't to that extremity."

"Just get better."

"Are you kidding me? I have things that I need to do but I can't. It's hard enough getting dressed in the morning."

"Maybe it's time for you to downgrade from your 4 inch heels."

"Are you kidding me?"

"No it makes it harder for you to walk around trust me it will make it easier if you wore sneakers or something flat."

"Next thing your going to be telling me to wear jeans." Sharpay scoffed.

Ryan gave her a serious look.

"No."

"Yes."

"You can't force me."

"Trust me you're going to change your mind when you have as much trouble as you did the past few mornings. And this time I'm not going to help you."

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Sharpay was forced to anyway as Ryan was right. She discovered that she was more comfortable anyway.

"When's the last time that you looked normal like that?"

"Probably since mom was alive." Sharpay said. There was a strange silence in the room not broken until her stomach grumbled.

"I'm going to get some oatmeal okay?"

"Sure, just be ready in 10 minutes to go to school."

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"Umm..Gabriella I just wanted to...no that's not right."

"Hi Troy."

"Oh hi Gabriella." Troy said turning around playing with the lock to his locker out of nervousness.

"Is everything alright?"

"I think so."

"You think so isn't exactly a reassuring statement."

"Well...Look Gabriella I was wondering if you would like to go out on a Friday or Saturday to the movies or something as friends you know."

"Sure." she said smiling at him.

"I just want you to know as friends I'm just not sure about how I feel right now."

"Thanks for being honest with me."

"Sure, well I've got to go I have gym next."

"Ok. Talk to you later."

Troy walked down the hallway towards the gymnasium. He heard voices outside the Guidance Counselor's office and one of them sounded like Sharpay's so he listened in closely.

"...I just don't know how long I can take him. I mean I know he's close to me and he's always been there for me but I just want to hate him for what he's done to me. I want to hate him for what he did to me and Ryan, and you know what he didn't even tell me sorry. He didn't even dare to tell me Sharpay I'm sorry for everything I've done to you, every single thing he made me sacrifice."

"There there Sharpay you shouldn't be harboring those kinds of thoughts."

"Why shouldn't I?"

He knew that he shouldn't be listening in on the conversation that they were having but it wasn't his fault. There was no one else in the hallway but Troy sure heard it because Sharpay was talking so loud. Or could he even call it talking because he could tell she had the voice of someone who was mad, was trying to keep her sanity as not to say something offensive to Mrs. Schwann the guidance counselor, and crying to hurt. So some of the words were hard to make out. He felt bad about what she had said towards him. They were supposed to be friends, they weren't best friends he knew that much but he considered having an understanding of where to and where not to tread on certaint topics was a type of friendship. He shouldn't have been listening. He shouldn't be jumping to conclusions. There was always more information about a person that he could find. Even the ones that you thought you knew completely. There were two people that he wanted to get to know more before judging them...Sharpay and Gabriella. The thing about it is though is that he knew the more he knew the harder it would be to be objective.

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"Sharpay here take this napkin." Mrs. Schwann said passing her the box of them.

"I want a complete family. Is that too much to ask? My mother died with a drunk driver and then my father turns right around and starts doing the same thing that finished off her life. Everyday he's knocking himself down a peg and I feel like I'm being dragged down with him. Part of me says that we need to help him get out of this but you know what I'm 16 years old he's had eight years and if he hasn't stopped then he isn't going to stop now. That same part is telling me he's my father and I should care more but then at the same time I want him to rot in hell."

"Have you ever let go of this hatred that you keep inside for your father?" asked the guidance counselor.

"I do it with the theater." Sharpay said giving the first half smile of the entire time she had been in there. "When I'm there I can be whoever I want to be and I don't want anyone to take that away from me."

"Is it all about you or is it about your brother too?"

"It's about me." Sharpay said evenly. " It might seem selfish but I figure that if I can't take care of myself and love myself first then I can't do the same for other people."

"And when have you started to work at that?"

"I never have." she admitted through tears," and I don't think I ever will."

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"Sharpay can I talk to you." Gabriella asked walking after her in the hallway.

"Not reallly I'm not in the mood."

"But Sharpay I really want your advice."

Sharpay stopped in her attempts to have support with the crutches.

"You're asking me. For help." she said shocked," You must be really desperate."

"I thought that we were friends."

"Troy and Kelsey are my friends they're are the only ones that even understand me. People like you are just the ones that I'm civil towards."

"What if I want to be one of those people like Troy and Kelsey. I'm always looking for more friends. I believe that you could be one of them if you would just let me..."

"Don't you get yet? I tolerate you but just barely. I really don't have the time or the want to argue with you right now but if you would excuse me I need to get to my next class."

She turned around and started the long journey to her next class.

"Sharpay!" Gabriella yelled.

"What is it?"

"Your class is the other way."

Sharpay muffled a small thanks and turned around.

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Her entire day was a mess and the only thing that she could think of was to go to the theater an hour before she had to actually be there. She knew the only person that was there was either Kelsey or Mrs. Darbus. She moved to the seat two rows from the actual stage waiting for it to begin. She took out the reading assignment that she needed to do for her English class and started.

"Why are you mad at me?"

"I believe that sentence should have started with an 'excuse you'." Sharpay said ignoring whoever it was.

"You think that just because you broke your leg you have the right to talk to someone like that especially your friend. Or your so called friend if you will?"

She recognized it as Troy's voice.

"I have never ever told anyone that I hated you or anything close to that."

"So I did just overhear it then?"

"Yes. Where did you hear it by the way?"

"I heard you in Ms. Schwann's office."

"You eavesdropped on my conversation."

"It wasn't intentional."

"Yeah right. You just sat there listening to my personal conversation with the guidance counselor by 'accident'."

"Okay maybe I was trying to figure out what was happening with you. You never let anyone in."

"And if I actually wanted you to know I would have told you about it or asked for your help."

"You forget that we've known each other since we were in diapers."

"And if you knew me you'd know it's best to stay out of it she said rising using the theater chairs for supports."

"And knowing you I know it's best not to leave you alone with this."

Somehow his words sent shivers down her spine but she didn't want to show him the effect his words had had on her. She grabbed her bookbag and her crutches as she pushed passed him she breathed out a barely intelligible "Tell Darbus I'm not coming to practice today I have things to do."

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In fact Sharpay was busy that whole week. A part of Troy said that was good she was getting the rest that she needed to get her foot back to normal but the other part told him that she was still mad at him and stewing in it and letting it boil over. It could it get worse...scratch that it would get worse if he didn't talk to her soon.

Troy hung out more with Gabriella these days than he did with anyone else and he got to know her a little bit more discovering that her favorite color was a jade green.

"So Troy are you ready for Friday night?"

"Sure I can't wait!"

All of a sudden he heard the P.A. System come on with a significant beep.

"Would Sharpay and Ryan Evans come to the main office with ALL of their belongings."

After that it clicked off and the cafeteria went back in a surge of whispers about what it could possibly be. In the corner of his eye he could see Ryan helping Sharpay up out of her seat carrying her tray to the garbage. He then zoomed back into the conversation.

"...and my mom and I are thinking of getting a dog, you know with it being so lonely at our house."

"That's great." he said absently.

He knew though that he was right. He was one hundred percent right. Things could only get worse and for Ryan and Sharpay things had gotten worse.

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"Yes Mrs. Dayton what were we called down here for?"

"Why don't you turn around and look for yourself."

'Oh my gosh Aunt Julie you're here." Sharpay said shocked

"Yes." she said with sorrow in her eyes,"I felt that I had to be here for you."

Ryan caught her words and the look in her eyes and he knew it had finally happened. After years of smoking and drinking himself into a stupor he had met his end. He felt nothing literally. It wasn't an expression like 'sunrise sunset' that you could reflect on it was just plain and simple.

The same thoughts were running through Sharpay's head. She felt nothing for the death. She realized for the past few years she had been losing him in stages but as each one hurt just a little bit more she finally understood that the last one wouldn't hurt at all because now everything before hurt ten times worse and the last one just faded as if it wasn't even there. It was as if she could remember all the times that the would go and play at Troy's house or at the park and have a picnic as picture perfect as it was. It hurt to watch him go further from the amazing man that her mother always said he was. The same person that her mother said she wanted for her daughter. Things weren't the same and things wouldn't be the same.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Her Aunt Julie was there at the house taking care of them.

"You know Sharpay you're looking more and more like your mother everyday."

'Thanks...I think." she said burying her nose in her food.

"If you go into that food anymore you'll be eating it through your nose."

"Yeah." she said absently. She didn't really feel like talking at the moment about that subject she had just brought up.

"I know you have school today but if you don't want to go you don't have to . Sometimes you need time to heal after something like this has happened to you. Ryan has already decided to stay home. I can drive you just tell me in half an hour."

"School starts in ten minutes anyway and I'm going to go so I can get the homework for the both of us."

"I...you know what I'll be ready to take you in about five minutes." she said forgetting what she was about to say to her.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

She was distant the entire day Friday. She just wanted to not talk to anybody so she didn't get upset. For some reason today, unlike the other days she felt like going down to the theater itching to touch a piano. Most of the time she would ignore this as it brought back too many memories. She sat down remembering the song that her mother always played on the piano it reminded her of the lullaby they used to sing together. It was based off a story they used to read all the time.

**I've been dancing**

**Trying to find the ground beneath my feet**

**And I know you're always watching over me**

** As I sleep**

**I've always been dancing**

**I'm always out**

Troy walked in a few minutes afterwards to just hear her on the piano playing softly. He had never heard her play before. He had just come in to give her some of his lunch because he noticed that she didn't eat anything and heard he heard playing and it was unsteady. He walked between the rows of chairs. He walked silently and as he was watching her coming closer to comfort her. He wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

"You're not alright are you?"

"My dad died. Of course I'm not alright." Sharpay said finally breaking down flinging her arms around neck sobbing.

Of all the things that he could say the one thing he wouldn't is 'It's going to be alright.' because he had no way of knowing that and didn't want to give her false hope.

"What can I do to make you feel better?"

"Just hold me please." she said wanting to wash all the pain away.

He wanted to remain silent for her benefit.

"Sharpay maybe you should go home and rest, I think it would be best."

No I don't want to go home."

"It's not about what you want right now. Right now, it's about what you need. Go home!"

"No."

"I'm telling you that if any teacher saw how messed up you were right now they would send you home most likely until you were stable. A certain teacher might even tell Mrs. Darbus that your unfit to be in a play at the moment, would you want to be out of it."

" No," Sharpay said in a voice that was barely her own," the theater is my whole life."

"I'll call your house and she'll come over and pick you up. Can you stay here for a minute?"

"I'm not going anywhere." Sharpay said reluctantly.

So her Aunt Julie arrived and thanked Troy for calling her. She honestly had no idea what she was thinking when she let them make their own decision to come to school.

A/N: I totally forgot I even had this story. I had this chapter already saved online so I decided to post it. Sorry for any mistakes. Would greatly appreciate any reviews.


	4. What Do I Really Want?

Their Aunt Julie had told them to sit on the couch when they had first gotten home.

"I'm not mad at you."

"You have no reason to be. I'm going back to school."

"I don't want you there and neither does the principal. He understands what you're going through."

"All I want to do is go back to school and….."

"No, and that's final."

"I have no problem staying home," Ryan said. Sharpay looked at him and shot a disapproving look.

"If you're mother could look at the two of you now she would be more than ashamed. And I blame myself for that. You will stay home as long as I see fit. We are going to spend time together and you will like it."

"I'd rather just stay up in my room all day than spend time with you." Sharpay sniffed. She had Ryan help her back up the stairs before she closed her room door.

"How dare she come back and think she can tell us what to do?" Sharpay said throwing herself back into her bed.

"Shar, she's the only one left that can take care of us. She kind of can, besides Aunt Jules has always been cool." Ryan said not trying to cause a fight between them.

"Well, she could have been here before now. Before all of this happened to us."

"I think the best thing is that she's here now," Ryan paused, "Do you think you'll be okay here?"

"I know how to take care of myself." Sharpay muttered.

Ryan soon left her room and she was glad to be alone. She leaned over to turn on the lamp on the other side of the room and coming in contact with her injured foot. Although it must have been years ago, that they were sitting in the living room together.

Her mother was instructing her on how to properly stretch it out. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine it, the way she saw her mother do it. It began to feel a little bit better, but not by much.

Her cell phone started ringing in the middle of her stretching. Sharpay picked up the phone looking at the caller ID before answering it.

"Thanks for snitching Bolton."

"It was supposed to help you out."

"Well it didn't, I have no idea how long I'm stuck here." Sharpay emphasized. Staying in this house was not one of the plans.

"Well, it's almost the weekend. You can get out of the house and do whatever you feel like."

"You've never met my aunt have you? I might be on lockdown."

"So I guess you'll just be bright and shiny on Monday morning while we're rehearsing for the play."

"About that, I'm quitting." Sharpay said.

When Sharpay had first picked up the phone she had no intention of quitting the play. Her mind was not even on the play, but when he brought it up she thought of everything that the play was about. The script, it was beautiful, it was possibly Kelsey's best work yet, but the dancing part. The dancing she couldn't take it.

"You're quitting." Troy yelled through the phone.

She pulled the phone away from her ear, and instead put it on speaker phone.

"I can't hear now, great."

"You're not quitting the play."

"Did you not hear me a few seconds ago? I'm quitting and you can't stop me."

"Shar…"

She turned off her phone before he could get another word in. She just wanted to lie in her room and think. It was also quite possible, contrary to popular belief that she was over thinking things.

Chad came over on Saturday to play basketball with him. They had been playing for quite a while before they took a break.

" I talked to Sharpay the other day after school and she was so pissed at me. I think I made her quit the play. That play, it was going to be so great, you know."

"Dude, it's just a play." Chad told Troy.

"But it's Sharpay, and she's turning it down, it makes me wonder if she's okay."

"It's Sharpay, beyond being a girl, you will never understand her. Ryan and her do things that aren't meant to be understood. You're just supposed to sit back and watch."

"Aren't you supposed to be her friend?"

"Yeah, of course," Chad said a little bit skeptically," and as her friend I'm being truthful. She'll never open up enough to anyone to completely understand her. I think Zeke feels the same way."

"What about Zeke?"

"You know, they used to kind of go out. That girls got so many secrets it'd make your head spin."

"I think I know her."

"Exactly my point. You think, you don't know for sure." Chad said before he stood up on the pavement, " Everyone knows Coach is crazy, no offense, in my opinion, I would go after Gabriella rather than Shar. It would be much easier for you."

"Wait, I don't like Sharpay like that."

Chad took a sip of his water.

"Sure, so that's what you tell yourself these days." He said before he tossed the ball back at Troy. "You're losing horribly, get your head in the game, and not on her."

Troy laughed at him as he caught the ball and started dribbling. There was no way that he could like Sharpay like that. I mean she was nice, and his parents were pushing it, but he couldn't possibly. Right?

She pushed the play button on the CD Player as the music filled the entire room. This particular room in the house she had not stepped in, in quite a while. She held her hands on the bar steadily as she stretched out her leg.

She would never let anyone know that she had injured her leg on purpose. Carefully she lifted her foot onto the bar and further stretched it out. She used what little she used in yoga to help her breathe through the pain.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw someone staring at her through the open door.

"Go AWAY!"


End file.
